COVID-19 - Facts and Information Only Topic

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I'm gonna take a try at putting links to covid-19 information here.  Please limit discussion to the other thread.  Thanks

 

Much of this discoverable by Google.  So is a bunch of "stuff" and links that will offer to infect your electronics for you.  In evaluating information, please be aware that trained scientists working closely with data tend to caveat with "I think" or "I believe" about stuff that has a whole lot of training and modeling behind it, vs. people who make definitive statements about things that are still unknowable - like the true case fatality rate with best treatment or if warm weather will cause it to diminish as do seasonal flu/colds.

Beautiful graphic explaining the impact of social distancing on epidemic spread:


CDC (Center for Disease Control) website, the US official source for info:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
 

WHO (World Health Organization) website
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

 

Edit: from @BillsFanNC, this is a fantastic resource (Singapore Saw Swee Hauk School of Public Health).  Absolutely top-notch.
https://sph.nus.edu.sg/covid-19/

When do symptoms appear after exposure?  From WHO-China Joint Report, based on 55,000 cases in China:
People with COVID-19 generally develop signs and symptoms,including mild respiratory symptoms and fever, on an average of 5-6 days after infection (mean incubation period 5-6 days, range 1-14 days).

Graphic Symptoms of Covid-19 (taken from Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019)

Please be aware that low-percentage symptoms may still be covid-19 - Concern has been expressed that GI tract symptoms may be overlooked as possible covid-19.

From WHO:

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.

From CDC:

The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.^*

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

_______________________________________________

If you have a website that you find factual and a valuable resource about covid-19, please feel free to add it, but if the review of this "peer" disagrees, please don't get offended if it goes away.  Please keep discussion and share random news articles in the other Covid threads. 

If you wonder whether your link should be here, feel free to PM me and ask but be patient if I don't hit you back right away.

 

Other sites folks recommended:

On 3/20/2020 at 1:15 PM, Hardhatharry said:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

On 3/20/2020 at 9:41 AM, BillsFanNC said:

Another resource that may not have been posted here yet is from the National University of Singapore, who have been publishing weekly digest updates on the latest published research.

 

https://sph.nus.edu.sg/covid-19/

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

JHU website updated regularly, giving diagnosed cases, deaths, and recovered cases around the world.  Will give you info you need and not infect your electronics.  If you select the US, and mouse-over a red "infection" dot, a pop-up in the L corner will give you the data for that state.

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

 

EDIT: by popular demand, a site which gives Covid-19 cases by population:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

 

Really good, regularly updated article from Financial Times [BUT after the first couple views, you need to subscribe. 

Offer a trial 4 weeks for $1, but put it on your calendar - they'll hit you for $67/month subscription after that if you don't cancel.]
 

Data from the above link as of 29 March.  Click to embiggen.  The United States has now surpassed every other country's case total despite extraordinarly limited testing.   143,527 cases.
 

S. Korea was leading at one point (due partly to massive testing) but now seems to have it locked down.  It can be done.  WE CAN DO THIS TOO! 
(Taiwan doesn't make the graph; being next door to China and having frequent travel .......they have not yet gotten to 100 cases through effective, proactive control measures.  We can do this!)

[Edit: There is some emerging controversy that China may not be counting asymptomatic cases.  If these are recovered patients shedding virus, they probably shouldn't since they've already been counted, but if they are new positive tests they should count ]

We are close to China for death toll and are closing on Italy.  Currently 2,500 deaths and on the "doubling every 3 days" line.  If that trend continues, should be 20,000 deaths in a week.

Note that 19 days out from complete country-wide lockdown, Italy's case count looks as though it may be leveling off.  This is as expected given the incubation time of the disease, the possibility of presymptomatic and asymptomatic transmission, and of course, any violations of social distancing.  It would be expected to take at least 3 weeks post country-wide lockdown for it to flatten (the more violations, the longer).  There is also the possibility that it is flattening because they are limiting testing, as NYC is doing.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
Updated graph as of 30 March. Added access instructions for JHU state info. Added Deaths graph.

[BillsFan4]

From Hapless in the other thread:

 

Quote

This graph is the answer to everyone who posts somewhere about "why don't we just all accept that we're going to get the disease, accept the mild symptoms most of us will have, and get it over with?" 

This is the classic "contained vs uncontrolled transmission" epidemic graph.

 

If 80% have a mild disease, but ~15% are seriously ill and require medical intervention including oxygen and ~5% become severely ill and require intensive care, hospitals and HCW quickly become overwhelmed.  This is undoubtedly part of the high initial death rate in Wuhan - the healthcare system, despite redeployment of resources from other parts of the country, was simply too far above capacity.  (Oh, and be sure to schedule your heart attack or your meningitis so that it doesn't occur at the epidemic peak.)

 

 

Edit: and on April 2, we see a similar graph presented by the White House, with some numbers on it.  Thank you @MJS
 

3 hours ago, MJS said:

Interesting graph presented by the White House. I'm sure we are somewhere in between the two extremes as far as our level of intervention is concerned

 

The numbers on this version of the graph appear to come from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME as explained in this NPR report.

———————————————————————————————

 

 

WHO executive director Dr. Michael Ryan on what he’s learned from dealing with many previous outbreaks:

 

 

 

[BillsFan4]

From the previous COVID19 thread:

 

Quote

or if you don't speak Italian, it's translated here (scroll down past the picture)

 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/coronavirus-shocking-image-italian-patients-21663653

 

Key take home:

 

Francois Balloux of the University College London Genetics Institute said: “The trajectory in the UK is so far roughly comparable to the one in northern Italy, but with the epidemic [there] two to three weeks ahead of the situation [here].

“It is possible that a lockdown strategy similar to the one imposed in northern Italy may be adopted by the UK. The Covid-19 epidemic cannot be contained any more.”

 

Doctor-turned-author Adam Kay said it should be a stark warning for Britain. He said: “­Fourteen days ago, Italy had fewer coronavirus cases than we do today. They employed similar public health measures to us.

 

“Unless I’m missing something, this is us in a fortnight.”

The U.S. is on a similar timeline as the U.K.. The experts are saying that we are roughly 10-14 days behind Italy’s COVID19 timeline.

 

Quote

From the translation of Italian Physician Dr Daniele Macchini of Humanitas Gavazzeni hospital's Facebook post:

 

"There are no more surgeons, urologists, orthopaedists – we are only doctors who have become part of a single team to face this tsunami that has overwhelmed us.

"Cases are multiplying, with a rate of 15-20 admissions per day – all for the same reason. The results of the swabs now come one after the other: positive, positive, positive. Suddenly the ER is collapsing. Reasons for admission are always the same: fever and breathing difficulties, fever and cough, respiratory failure.

"Radiology reports are always the same: bilateral interstitial pneumonia. All to be hospitalized.

 

"Some are already intubated go to intensive care. For others it’s too late. Ventilators are like gold dust: those in operating theatres that have suspended non-urgent activity become intensive care places that did not exist before.
(....)

 

"There are no more shifts, no more hours. Social life is suspended. We no longer see our families for fear of infecting them. Some of us have already become infected despite the protocols.  "Some infected colleagues have infected relatives, some of whom are already fighting for their lives.

 

"So be patient – you can’t go to the theatre, museums or the gym. Try to have pity on the myriad of old people you could exterminate. 

"We try to make ourselves useful. You should, too. We influence the life and death of a few dozen people. You, many more. Please share this."

 

 

Full twitter thread for above story -

 

There are 20+ tweets so click on the tweet to see the whole thread.

 

 

Over the last 48 hours in Italy there have been roughly 700 deaths from COVID19.

 

350+ new deaths in a 24 hour span 2 days in a row. 

 

Hospitals are at 200+% capacity. Doctors are telling heart breaking stories of choosing which patients to let die.

 

 

What we are currently trying to accomplish with these social distancing rules is avoiding what is happening in Italy. There are already stories of hospitals here dangerously short on supplies and beds. Doctors forced to work after being exposed to COVID19. Having to reuse masks for 2 weeks.

 

It is crucial that we do everything we can to flatten the curve now.

[Dr Krentist]

I like this video

 

 

[mod notes:

I love much of the graphic presentation - clear, catchy, and easy for a layperson to understand.

Areas where the info it presents has been filled in:

1) There's enough data from countries that have contained the epidemic at this point to say with some confidence that the death rate is >4% in areas/countries where the health care system is overwhelmed, and <1% in areas/countries where the spread is slowed enough that the health care system can handle it

2) The info about the primary spread being through person to person aerosol transmission (breathing or coughing) is likely correct but transmission from touching surfaces then touching face is also thought to occur.  A new study has  shown the virus can live on porous surfaces (paper, cardboard, hair, cloth) for ~3 hrs, and hard surfaces for 1-2 days. 

3) The video presents secondary bacterial pneumonia/sepsis as a cause of death in serious cases.  Increasing evidence suggests that cytokine storm may be involved - the immune system gets excessively triggered by the virus and goes into overdrive.  [Remember this phrase when speaking to the physician of a loved one with high fever/difficulty breathing: "did you request a serum ferritin test to screen for cytokine storm?"].  If known to be occurring, there are specific pharmaceutical treatments for cytokine storm.

[BillsFan4]

Hapless post from other thread:

 

Quote

https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca

 

This is by far the best article about the coronavirus.  It is factual, it is matter of fact, and it is correct.

 

If you read nothing else, read this.  It explains the different disease outcomes in Hunan vs rest of China, in Korea vs Hunan, and in Italy.

 

It explains the difference between known and actual cases and the reason for mitigation factors like social distancing and cordons.

 

Read it.

 

Ive attached a graph from the 1918 influenza pandemic showing the difference between Philadelphia and St. Louis. (st. Louis put aggressive social distancing measures in place)

[BillsFan4]

https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/a-message-from-one-of-our-doctors-to-his-family-about-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR3rCHLYtrd3yHJc2P41Y35OrhwDSiPeJtDZzA4S_OqD4Hn2HCt3u_42J1A

I'm a doctor at Nebraska Medicine. Here's what I'm telling my family about COVID-19.

 

‘This is an email from Nebraska Medicine critical care anesthesiologist Dan Johnson, MD, to his friends and family about the seriousness of COVID-19. It is shared with permission from Dr. Johnson.’

 

Quote

Dear Family,

 

Quote

The COVID-19 pandemic will be a challenge to the USA unlike any we have experienced in our lifetime. For the last several weeks, I have been involved in multiple meetings each day where I get to hear the thoughts of experts in the field of pandemics, specifically about this pandemic, and what we need to do.

If anyone hears from family or friends who think this is “no big deal,” or that the USA’s response has been excessive, please know that they are very wrong. I’m sure you have all read about the many reasons that this is NOT “just like flu.” The numbers of infected, worldwide and in the USA, are extreme underestimates (because many infected have not been tested). The best metric to use, right now, is talking with hospital workers in the hotbeds, and asking them what their situation is.

I have been in communication with a friend who is a critical care physician from the Lombardy region of Italy. The health care workers there are living in a nightmare, having to decide who lives and who dies from lack of oxygen because their health care system is overwhelmed.

In the USA, we have three pathways for COVID-19:

1. The country views this challenge like WWI and WWII, and almost everyone does the right things, and we will be harmed but okay.
2. Many people do the right things, and many don’t, and we will have the same struggles that Italy is enduring.
3. People blow this disease off as no big deal, and our health care system (and life as we know it) will be crippled.

You have all probably seen the concept of “flatten the curve.” If we fail to flatten the curve, and we fail to eliminate the portion of yellow above that line, there will be dire consequences:

1. More people, including some of our friends and family, will die.
2. Health care workers like me, Rachel, and several of you are at higher risk of dying.
3. All health care workers will have to witness the needless deaths of patients who could have survived.

In the SARS-1 outbreak, critical care doctors and nurses in Asia and Canada acquired life-long PTSD from watching patients gasp for air and die because they did not have enough ventilators. SARS-1 was nothing compared to COVID-19. If we do not flatten the curve, Rachel, Bridget, and I will have to witness many of these types of deaths.

In the absence of a vaccine or an anti-viral in the immediate future, our best chance to avoid overwhelming our hospitals is non-pharmaceutical interventions. The two best ways to do that are (1) social distancing, and (2) excellent hygiene.

Please check out these simulations from the Washington Post, and share this article.

The best ways for you to achieve social distancing are pretty simple:

1. You and your kids should stay home. This includes not going to church, not going to the gym, not going anywhere.
2. Do not travel for enjoyment until this is done. Do not travel for work unless your work truly requires it.
3. Avoid groups of people. Not just crowds, groups. Just be around your immediate family. I think kids should just play with siblings at this point – no play dates, etc.
4. When you must leave your home (to get groceries, to go to work), maintain a distance of six feet from people. REALLY stay away from people with a cough or who look sick.
5. When you do get groceries, etc., buy twice as much as you normally do so that you can go to the store half as often. Use hand sanitizer immediately after your transaction, and immediately after you unload the groceries.

I’m not saying people should not go to work. Just don’t leave the house for anything unnecessary, and if you can work from home, do it.

 

Everyone on this email, besides Mom and Dad, are at low risk for severe disease if/when they contract COVID-19. While this is great, that is not the main point. When young, well people fail to do social distancing and hygiene, they pick up the virus and transmit it to older people who are at higher risk for critical illness or death. So everyone needs to stay home. Even young people.

 

Tell every person over 60, and every person with significant medical conditions, to avoid being around people. Please do not have your kids visit their grandparents if you can avoid it. FaceTime them.

 

Our nation is the strongest one in the world. We have been through other extreme challenges and succeeded many times before. We WILL return to normal life. Please take these measures now to flatten the curve, so that we can avoid catastrophe.

 

Love,

Dan

 

Also, this is worth reading too:

 

https://god.dailydot.com/high-risk-coronavirus-pandemic/

24 High-Risk People You Should Practice Social Distancing For During The Coronavirus Pandemic

 

While many may not be in the high risk categories, almost everyone has some friends or family that are probably at higher risk. Also, Things you may not necessarily think about - like being overweight, having diabetes, (both very high in America), or high blood pressure (hypertension), put you at higher risk. 

 

Also things like coronary artery disease or any cardiac issues/disease, digestive diseases, or people with compromised immune systems or on drugs (for rheumatoid arthritis, etc) that suppress their immune system.

 

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(20)30076-5/fulltext

 

https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-preexisting-conditions

 

we have to try and protect our more vulnerable citizens.

[BillsFan4]

To give an idea of the impact it’s already having on NYC hospitals (in a matter of days):

 

 

 

(the sending food part was a joke)

 

They also need blood donations. Red Cross is calling for the same in all of NY state.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by BillsFan4

[Deranged Rhino]

Edited March 22, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
paste in image directly, doesn't show for some

[Hapless Bills Fan]

-Major source of transmission is thought to be close person-to person contact via small droplets exhaled or coughed out by the person with covid-19

-Droplets can also settle on surfaces and be transferred when another person touches the surfaces and then touches their mouth, nose, or eyes

-An NIH study showed that active virus is detectable for up to 24 hours on cardboard and two or three days on plastic and steel. 

-The same study showed that aerosolized droplets containing live virus (finer than normal droplets we exhale) may stay in the air for up to 3 hrs. 

(this would be more of a concern for medical professionals and dentists conducting procedures that may aerosolize larger numbers of particles; most virus particles in droplets shed by a person breathing or coughing are larger, and will fall out of the air more rapidly)
-Live virus is shed in feces, so in theory fecal-oral transmission is possible; it is not known how much this contributes.  Yuck in general.  Wash your hands.

Washing hands and avoiding touching your face protects you from surface transmission, but not from transmission via inhaling droplets shed by an infected person
(as from being packed into a crowd as at a bar, social event, or sitting/standing close to someone for hours.).  This is why Social Distancing is important.  You can scrub your hands until they're raw, but if you don't stay away from most people and limit the people with whom you have contact, you're still gonna get sick.

It is increasingly believed that transmission from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic people may play a large role in disease transmission.  (This is why widespread testing will be needed to allow normal daily activities to resume without causing new disease spikes)

-----

From WHO Website: How does COVID-19 spread?

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.  WHO is assessing ongoing research on the ways COVID-19 is spread and will continue to share updated findings.    

From CDC Website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html
How COVID-19  Spreads

Person-to-person spread

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Can someone spread the virus without being sick?

• People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest).
• Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
  [Edit: current evidence is suggesting asymptomatic or presymptomatic spread may play a much larger role. There are a number of large disease clusters in several states where reportedly no one attending the meeting or social gathering showed symptoms]

Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

How easily the virus spreads

The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community (“community spread”) in some affected geographic areas.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
edited to add updated CDC information. edited to add link about asymptomatic spread

[Hapless Bills Fan]

[BillsFan4]

Quotes from NIAID director Dr. Fauci:

 

Quote

He discussed three reasons why coronavirus is different from other ailments like the flu.

 

“One, it’s brand new so we don’t have any prior experience about what it’s gonna do, what it’s dynamic’s gonna be,” he said. “Number 2, it spreads very easily, there’s no doubt about that. It isn’t like some of the other outbreaks that we had that just didn’t adapt itself to spread among humans. And Number 3, it’s very serious in the sense of morbidity and mortality, particularly among – and very heavily weighted -- towards individuals who are more susceptible – the elderly and those with underlying conditions.”

 

When asked if its contagiousness and lethality are worse than the flu, Fauci emphatically said, “Well yes, I mean it just is, and we’ve gotta face that fact.”

 

Fauci also repeated his prediction that things “will get worse before they get better.” He remained optimistic that the impact can be mitigated, but only if people take precautions.

 

“To think that right now everything is going to be okay if we don’t do anything, that’s absolutely incorrect,” he said.

 

 

Quote

Despite the morbidity and mortality with influenza, there's a certainty … of seasonal flu," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a White House press conference on Jan. 31. "I can tell you all, guaranteed, that as we get into March and April, the flu cases are going to go down. You could predict pretty accurately what the range of the mortality is and the hospitalizations [will be]," Fauci said. "The issue now with [COVID-19] is that there's a lot of unknowns." 

 

So far they are finding that up to 20% of COVID19 patients need hospitalization. If this spreads quickly (as we’ve seen it do) it could easily completely overwhelm out medical facilities and cause needless deaths because there’s not enough ventilators and other needed equipment.

 

https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-new-age-analysis-of-risk-confirms-young-adults-not-invincible/

 

Quote

In general, the U.S. experience largely mimics China’s, with the risk for serious disease and death from Covid-19 rising with age. But in an important qualification, an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Wednesday underlines a message that infectious disease experts have been emphasizing: Millennials are not invincible.

 

The new data show that up to one-fifth of infected people ages 20-44 have been hospitalized, including 2%-4% who required treatment in an intensive care unit.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/18/coronavirus-ventilators-us-hospitals-johns-hopkins-mayo-clinic/5032523002/

 

Quote

Overrun by critically ill coronavirus patients, Italy’s hospitals are choosing who gets  lifesaving breathing machines and who does not.

It’s a scenario that could soon repeat in the United States, experts warn.

 

“The capacity in northern Italy hospitals is a preview of a movie that is about to play in the United States,” said Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins University surgeon and health policy expert. “The best two indicators of what things will be like in the U.S. are the number of COVID-related deaths in Italy and the number of ICU beds.”

 

U.S. hospitals are on the cusp of too many severely ill patients without enough intensive care unit beds and ventilators to keep those patients breathing. It’s why states, municipalities and businesses are desperately trying to delay new infections through social distancing measures such as school closings and work-from-home mandates.

 

 

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200318/us-may-not-have-enough-ventilators-for-covid19

 

Quote

March 18, 2020 -- There may not be enough ventilators in the United States to cope with the number of coronavirus patients who will require them due to pneumonia and other serious respiratory problems, experts say.

About 960,000 coronavirus patients may need to be put on ventilators at some point but the United States has only about 200,000 machines, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Associated Press reported.

The organization also said that about half of the ventilators are older models that may not be optimal for the most severely ill patients, and added that many ventilators are already in use by other patients with serious health conditions not associated with the coronavirus.

Ventilator manufacturers have boosted production, but it's not clear if that will meet the demand in the United States and other countries.

 

Why covid19 is worse than the flu n 1 chart: (1 to 3.4% fatality rate may not sound like a lot, but that is 10 to 34 times more deadly than the flu, and this spreads much faster, none of us have any immunity and we have no treatments yet)

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Q:  I'm a young macho stud-muffin with six pack abs, oozing health and charm from every pore.  Fatalities by age say 0.2% chance I die from this covid-19 thing

Why shouldn't I party and mingle?  Pandemics are Boring.

 

A:  True, you're less likely to die.  But "not die" doesn't mean not get hella, miserably, debilitating sick.  "Data released Wednesday night by the CDC shows that of the 508 patients known to have been hospitalized in the U.S. for COVID-19, about 20% of those were ages 20 to 44 and another 18% were between the ages of 45 and 54."

Being sick enough to be hospitalized could mean 2-4 weeks flat on your back, struggling to breathe on oxygen, maybe even being paralyzed and placed on a ventilator.  Leaving aside the altruism aspect that your favorite teacher, coach, or your gran might need that ventilator, your six pack abs will not emerge intact and you may spend months working your way back to normal health, let alone peak condition.

Is that extra night bar hopping worth the risk?  Netflix and Chill!  Keep your Distance!

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

How do I disinfect this covid-19 virus thing? 

 

Fortunately, coronaviri (covid-19 is a coronavirus) are not that hard to kill. 

What will work:

Soap and water (scrub >20 seconds and dry)

>60% alcohol (pref 70%) (rub hands 20 seconds until it all evaporates)

Disinfectant wipes - Chlorox, Lysol, etc - try to wet the surface you're wiping and allow it to dry, don't wipe

Dilute household bleach (will discolor) - see here for dilution instructions

Most disinfectant sprays or household cleaners.

Time.  The virus will die on a surface if you just leave it alone long enough.  About 10x the time it's been studied to live on that kind of surface will do.

 

What won't work:

Vinegar

Salt water (especially when sprayed in the mouths of a congregation of people using the same nozzle)

 

If you're picky and you want an (incomplete) list of products:

https://www.americanchemistry.com/Novel-Coronavirus-Fighting-Products-List.pdf

General advice on how to keep your home covid-19 free
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/cleaning-disinfecting-tips-to-keep-your-home-free-of-coronavirus/

 

Update: if you're disinfecting with bleach that has been stored for a while, look at the dates and adjust your dilution.

Stored bleach degrades over time
https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/735976O/disinfection-with-bleach-tech-talk.pdf

 

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
added bleach degradation info

[BillsFan4]

 

 

[BillsFan4]

 

This is a good resource for coronavirus case numbers in every state.

 

It is updated daily with new totals for each state. They stared doing this because the CDC wasn’t reporting complete testing data. But it looks like the CDC website may have finally started reporting more accurate full testing/infected data because they are currently showing more positive COVID19 cases than the covid tracking project.

It’s still a good resource though. 

 

Here’s the CDC site:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html

 

 

The reason for the testing ramp in New York is that we now have the capability to make our own COVID19 tests. They have a lab producing test kits for NYS. They should soon be able to test at least 7000 people per day.

 

Its actually quite impressive how quickly NYS has been able to move.

 

They asked for FDA permission to make their own tests on February 28th:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-usa-testing/new-york-scrambles-to-replace-u-s-governments-faulty-coronavirus-test-kits-idUSKCN20N00J

 

They were given permission 7 days ago:

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-gives-flexibility-new-york-state-department-health-fda-issues

 

And now can test roughly 7000 people per day.

 

https://www.lohud.com/story/news/health/2020/03/18/why-new-yorks-local-coronavirus-testing-key-covid-19-fight/5068837002/

[ChevyVanMiller]

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer#how-to-make

 

Hand sanitizer recipe

What you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup of isopropyl or rubbing alcohol (99 percent)
• 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel (to help keep your hands smooth and to counteract the harshness of alcohol)
• 10 drops of essential oil, such as lavender oil, or you can use lemon juice instead

Directions:

• Pour all ingredients into a bowl, ideally one with a pouring spout like a glass measuring container.
• Mix with a spoon and then beat with a whisk to turn the sanitizer into a gel.
• Pour the ingredients into an empty bottle for easy use, and label it “hand sanitizer.”

[Hapless Bills Fan]

And on the subject of testing:
 

Q: are enough tests available in the USA?  are we testing enough people?

A: No.  We are lagging behind pretty much every other developed country
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2020/3/12/21175034/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-usa

The picture has improved recently.  The FDA gave permission to develop tests Feb 28.

University of Washington has been running  >1000 tests per day since theirs was approved March 2 (they had filed for EUA in early Feb).

NYS Dep't of Health just had their test, developed starting Feb 28, approved.

Roche had a higher-throughput test approved March 13: they have a machine that can run 4000 tests per day and there are 110 of these machines in the USA

Thermo-Fisher had their test approved March 16.

Q: doesn't it just take time to develop a test, manufacture it, and roll it out.

A: No, not if you make it a priority.  The Korean CDC held a meeting on January 27, 3 days after China released the covid-19 genome sequence, and asked several testing companies to develop a test ASAP and promised to fast-track approval. One company had a test approved a week later  Seegene had a high-throughput test in 3 weeks with a fancy-schmancy Super computer, but while it wasn't fancy-schmancy and can't run 10,000 tests per day, the U of Washington Virology guys developed their test and submited the EUA to the US FDA in the same interval and were able to test 1,000 patients/day as soon as they got approval.

Don't let anyone tell you there were scientific or technical reasons the USA wasn't testing more people, more quickly.

 

Q: Why does testing matter?  We're using social distancing, won't that stop the spread?

A: No, it only buys us time.  Our economy is taking a huge kick in the willies.  Once we start back up, we'll still inevitably have some cases, and a largely un-immune population. Unless containment measures are taken, the disease will bloom again and seriously ill patients will threaten to overwhelm hospitals - again. Containment measures include covid-19 testing of anyone with any symptoms including just fever, mandatory quarantine, and contact tracking/testing that exploits technology (not just imperfect human memory).  Ideally, we should conduct widespread serology testing to find people who are already immune and can safely circulate. 

Then with the disease contained, we can wait for a treatment/vaccine

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Good News Front - Testing division!

Several alternatives for rapid testing exist or are being developed. 

Summary from Singapore Saw Swee Hauk School of Public Health (as of March 13th)

 

Update 27 March: FDA has just authorized (EUA) Abbott's 12 minute test for covid-19 that runs on its proprietary ID-now machine.  No info on how widespread the machine is. (It's 5 minutes for a positive, but 12 minutes for a negative result)

Update 21 March: FDA has just authorized (EUA) 45 minute test for covid-19. &nbsp;The test was developed by Cepheid in California and will roll out 30 March.

It is designed to run on their GeneXpert Systems machines, of which there are said to be 23,000 worldwide, only 5,000 in the United states..  This will be helpful, but it is not (as some videos and media have incorrectly described it) a true "Point of Care" test as it requires Cepheid's special machine [I guess that may seem like semantics since their machine is small and portable, but the point is - you gotta purchase the machine, it's not like a Pg test or something]
It is a PCR based test.

 

https://www.biomedomics.com/products/infectious-disease/covid-19-rt/

Plus: Test that looks like a PG test and works in 15 minutes.  It detects antibody response in infected patients.  China is using it as a contact-tracing tool; it gives results in the field.  Preprint of their accepted publication can be found at this link.

Minus: 12% false negative rate, a 10% false positive rate, and questions about specificity.  Could have uses in cutting down the number of RT-PCR tests contact tracing teams must do - if you're positive, quarantine - if you're negative - give a swab for the more sensitive test to be sure.  Company may be seeking an EUA in this context.

Several other companies are now offering this including Pinnacle Labs (claims 90% accuracy).  Again, NOT FDA approved, and that 10% may give false confidence at home.

Scanwell is working on an at-home test that can be mailed to the patient and involves a Smartphone consultation with a medical professional (they say Dr or Nurse Practitioner).  Like the Biomedomics test, it depends upon detecting IgM and IgG antibodies in the blood.  They say they have applied for EUA and it will be available 6-8 weeks after receiving it.

New test from a Brit company.  It's an inexpensive, 6-test-at-a-time device that may be deployable in small health centers, based on existing techology. .....developed by U.K. researchers from the Brunel University London, Lancaster University and the University of Surrey can provide COVID-19 detection in as little as 30 minutes using hand-held hardware that costs as little as £100 (around $120 USD) with individual swab sample kits that cost around $5 per person. The test is based on existing technology that has been used in the Philippines for testing viral spread in chickens, but it’s been adapted by researchers for use with COVID-19 in humans. The team is now working on ramping mass production.

 

Other companies/universities are working on much more specific viral tests:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-03-18-oxford-scientists-develop-rapid-testing-technology-covid-19 specifically recognise SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) RNA and RNA fragments.  Currently a tube in a heat block, they're working to develop a device (hopefully find an industrial partner ASAP).  [I didn't see a test result timeframe, just rapid]

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-future-brain/202003/mit-spinout-creates-rapid-covid-19-diagnostic-test
https://news.mit.edu/2020/covid-19-diagnostic-test-prevention-0312
"MIT spinout E25Bio, is preparing to submit to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorization a cost-effective COVID-19 test that can deliver rapid results in less than 30 minutes."  Sounds like a specific anti-Covid19 antibody that binds to a viral protein.  Test is a paper strip that develops color.  YES!  This company has previously developed tests for Ebola, Dengue fever, and Zika.  30 minutes, field-usable, that would be such a boon.  The E25Bio folks say they're submitting an EUA so we'll see what the FDA thinks of their data.

Comments from a chap with experience below:

On 3/20/2020 at 8:41 AM, BillsFanNC said:

I have done some consulting work for [Biomedomics] in the past for a different application based on the same technology.  This test will give results for both early immune response (IgM) and later response (IgG). 

Lateral flow immunodiagnostics [as used in the MIT E25Bio paper-strip test] typically have lower sensitivity than molecular assays and therefore a higher false negative rate.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
updated to add Saw Swee Hauk report. updated to add Cepheid and Scanwell info. Updated to add UK test info. Updated to add Abbot test info.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Good news front - Vaccine division
Several vaccine candidates are in clinical trials.  Clinical trials have 3 phases: I (safety); II (efficacy - FIP); III (pivotal - larger scale)
Summary from Singapore See Swee Hauk School of Public Health.  Has good background on types of vaccines and plusses/minuses

Edit: here is a good article on the general process of developing a vaccine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/inside-the-race-to-develop-a-coronavirus-vaccine-covid-19?utm_source=pocket-newtab
 

Phase I clinical trial in UK (Phase I is initial safety): https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/19/uk-drive-develop-coronavirus-vaccine-science

Unclear what it is, I would guess mRNA based which is the hot new kid on the block but unproven immunity.

 

Phase I clinical trial in US underway, 45 participants!  https://www.pcmag.com/news/first-45-us-volunteers-get-experimental-covid-19-vaccine

https://www.ems1.com/coronavirus-covid-19/articles/us-covid-19-vaccine-test-opens-with-1st-doses-FCPlUmQGVmIft6KO/

at Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute (KPWHRI).  It's an mRNA based vaccine, again latest and greatest idea - how well how long it will work TBD

 

Overall, 12-18 months to something widely available would be lightening-quick from here - still 2 phases of clinical trials to go then mfr campaign.

 

I am skeptical of claims about cures and vaccines from Israel - they seem to have a Grade A Hype Machine, Cure for Insulin, Cure for Cancer da-da.

This might be legit, but I think he's talking about having a vaccine ready to initiate clinical trials in 90 days, not having something ready to vaccinate the population.  Still, it's an oral vaccine, which would be great for developing countries, and it's technology where they've shown the ability to produce an antibody response:

https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Israeli-scientists-In-three-weeks-we-will-have-coronavirus-vaccine-619101

 

“Let’s call it pure luck,” he said. “We decided to choose coronavirus as a model for our system just as a proof of concept for our technology.”  But after scientists sequenced the DNA of the novel coronavirus causing the current worldwide outbreak, the MIGAL researchers examined it and found that the poultry coronavirus has high genetic similarity to the human one, and that it uses the same infection mechanism, which increases the likelihood of achieving an effective human vaccine in a very short period of time, Katz said. “All we need to do is adjust the system to the new sequence,” he said. “We are in the middle of this process, and hopefully in a few weeks we will have the vaccine in our hands. Yes, in a few weeks, if it all works, we would have a vaccine to prevent coronavirus.”

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
Added Guardian article on the vaccine dev. process

[BillsFan4]

I’m not sure if the advise to call 311 applies to anyone outside the NYC area, but the rest of the advise does.

 

 

 

 

[BillsFan4]

Quote from above link:

"Millennials are not invincible. The new data show that up to one-fifth of infected people ages 20-44 have been hospitalized, including 2%-4% who required treatment in an intensive care unit."

 

 

 

 

[ALF]

Medical workers in Wuhan reveal smiles behind their masks after the city closes its last temporary hospital that was panic-built to accommodate overflow coronavirus patients

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-medical-workers-remove-masks-after-last-temporary-hospital-closes-2020-3

 

A sign of hope after all

Edit: keep in mind the timeline here.  The city of Wuhan was shut down on 24 January.  This video is from March 14.  It took 6 weeks from the lockdown of Wuhan, plus a lot of testing and contact tracing as things opened back up.

Edited March 28, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan
pointing out timeline

[Hapless Bills Fan]

58 minutes ago, BillsFanNC said:

Another resource that may not have been posted here yet is from the National University of Singapore, who have been publishing weekly digest updates on the latest published research.

 

https://sph.nus.edu.sg/covid-19/

 

This is a great resource.  No seriously, it is so great that I'm considering locking this thread and just saying "go there", but I'll read through more carefully before doing so.

It immediately led me here, where they are putting out daily situation reports:
https://blog.nus.edu.sg/nuscider/category/special-reports/

[Hapless Bills Fan]

 

A graphical presentation I've been seeking.

 

This is outdated data from mainland China (case count now up to 81,250), but a presentation that makes a point we are now seeing here and in other countries.

Like our current data,  it is skewed by those sick enough to seek medical attention.  China has now instituted case-tracking and widespread testing, but at this point (44,572 cases) most people tested were very ill and had sought medical treatment. 

 

While the case fatality rate is highest among the elderly, the peak case rate of sick people is much younger - 50-59 years old.  25%-30% of those who showed up, significantly ill and seeking treatment, were under 40 years old.

Data from this Ars Technica report.  Ars Technica is more slanted towards computer and computer security issues, but the article seems accurate and well written though a bit outdated.

 

 

 

[BillsFan4]

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-new-coronavirus-isn-t-like-the-flu-but-they-have-one-big-thing-in-common

No, Coronavirus Isn't 'Just Like The Flu'. Here Are The Very Important Differences

 

A few key points:

 

- a Chinese study showed that 41 percent of serious cases occurred among under 50s, compared with 27 percent among over 65s.

"It's true that if you're older you're at greater risk, but serious cases can also happen in relatively young people with no prior conditions," said French deputy health minister Jerome Salomon.

 

“An analysis of 45,000 confirmed cases in China, where the epidemic originated, show that the vast majority of deaths were among the elderly (14.8 percent mortality among over 80s).

But another Chinese study showed that 41 percent of serious cases occurred among under 50s, compared with 27 percent among over 65s.”

 

-Disease experts estimate that each COVID-19 sufferer infects between two to 3 others.

That's a reproduction rate up to twice as high as seasonal flu, which typically infects 1.3 new people for each patient.

 

-mortality rate of 2% would make it 20x more deadly than the flu (0.1%)

 

-“But the true danger of coronavirus is unlikely to be the death toll. Experts say health systems could easily become overwhelmed by the number of cases requiring hospitalisation – and, often ventilation to support breathing.”

 

- Salomon said that humans have lived with influenza for more than 100 years. “We've studied it closely," he said. "This new virus resembles the flu in terms of physical symptoms but there are huge differences."

Number one is the lack of a vaccine against COVID-19, or even any treatment shown to be consistently effective.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

Coronavirus Scam Alert: Watch Out For These Risky COVID-19 Websites And Emails

Thomas BrewsterForbes Staff

Cybersecurity

Associate editor at Forbes, covering cybercrime, privacy, security and surveillance.

 

Cybercriminals and nation state-sponsored spies didn't take long to catch onto the coronavirus panic. Research released Thursday shows crooks and snoops have been rapidly registering vast numbers of potentially-malicious websites and sending out masses of scam emails as they try to make money from the pandemic.

A report from cybersecurity company Recorded Future noted a significant rise in website registrations related to the COVID-19 virus, some of which it believes are being used to either pilfer information from recipients or infect them with malware.

Lindsay Kaye, director of operation outcomes at Recorded Future, specifically called out the following domains as potentially dangerous:

 

• coronavirusstatus[.]space
• coronavirus-map[.]com
• blogcoronacl.canalcero[.]digital
• coronavirus[.]zone
• coronavirus-realtime[.]com
• coronavirus[.]app
• bgvfr.coronavirusaware[.]xyz
• coronavirusaware[.]xyz

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/03/12/coronavirus-scam-alert-watch-out-for-these-risky-covid-19-websites-and-emails/#57fd9de91099

Edited March 20, 2020 by OldTimeAFLGuy

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

1 hour ago, Steptide said:

I'm super curious why Italy is getting hit so hard vs other places

COVID-19 Hits Italy: A Test for China Ties

Insights from Giuseppe Gabusi-THE DIPLOMAT

Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into Asia policy.  This conversation with Dr. Giuseppe Gabusi – assistant professor of International Political Economy, Department of Cultures, Politics and Society at University of Torino; head of the “Asia Prospects” program at T.wai, Torino World Affairs Institute; and the editor of RISE, a journal on contemporary Southeast Asia – explores the implications of Italy’s COVID-19 outbreak for relations with China, where the novel coronavirus originated.

 

Describe the scope of COVID-19’s spread in Italy.  

The COVID-19 outbreak in Italy spread mostly from Codogno, a small town in southern Lombardy, at the border with the Emilia-Romagna region, with a second localized outbreak in Veneto. Since Lombardy is one of the wealthiest, most densely populated, and most globalized areas in Europe, the coronavirus circulated very fast and easily, and now all 20 regions in Italy register cases of infected people. It did not help that the Codogno economic district hosts large companies and multinationals – making it a hub for production and international trade. Workers, salesmen, managers, and consultants of all sorts travel daily to their workplace, many of them commuting to nearby cities. International partners visit from abroad. And of course, Milan – the sprawling and thriving capital of Lombardy, and a crucial railway node – is a mere 70 kilometer drive from Codogno. Although “patient zero” has not been found yet, it looks increasingly likely that the virus had been circulating in Europe weeks before “patient one” was identified in late February.

 

https://thediplomat.com/2020/03/covid-19-hits-italy-a-test-for-china-ties/

 

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...just a couple of key cautionary measures I am advising our employees to consider......

 

1. Picking up your daily mail-you may want to consider spraying your daily mail thoroughly  with a disinfectant before bringing it into your household. Apparently, COVID-19 has a strong resiliency to surfaces which Hap can better confirm.

[Hapless sez:  Covid-19 can live on surfaces, but reportedly 3 hrs on paper - and that's the limit at which they found live particles.  So instead of spraying the paper with enough disinfectant to be effective which would probably soak your mail, use a gloved or plastic-bag covered hand to pick up your mail and drop it into a paper bag.  Let it sit for 24 hrs, that's 8 half-lives and should reduce the already small amount left after 3 hrs down to "unlikely to be a problem" levels. I would suggest doing the same with packages you receive - unless they are perishable or urgent, just put them somewhere off to the side and let them sit 24 hrs.]

 

2. Numerous restaurants and bars are offering takeout services. If you do not order on line and handle a menu at the establishment, keep in mind that the menu is a major source of transmittable bacteria in general or more currently COVID-19.

[Most of the establishments around here are putting copies of their menus in their windows for customer viewing.  Could suggest this if feasible]

 

Stay safe and healthy friends.

[T&C]

This would certainly apply to this thread. At the end of the article it describes what various banks are doing for account holders/mortgage holders etc. I'm sure this list will be updated because lets face it, no one (bank) wants to be called the slacker at this point in time.

 

https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2020/03/20/efforts-underway-to-suspend-bill-payments-coronavirus

 

 

[BillsFan4]

 

Edit: This was apparently true in China as well per WHO China Joint report linked above.

I don't think co-morbid conditions can be ruled out (ex: more men than women smoke in both China and Italy or something like that)

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Tracking the spread of the epidemic using genomics (DNA sequences of virus from patients all over the world and looking at mutations).

https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/center-news/2020/03/tracking-covid-19-trevor-bedford.html

"Viruses mutate very quickly and accumulate changes during the process of transmission from one infected individual to another. The analogy I like to give is the game of telephone. There are errors that occur as it gets passed on and can reveal who spoke to who."

"The seeming sudden appearance of outbreaks across the US are not due to a sudden influx of cases. Instead, transmission chains have been percolating for 4-8 weeks now, and we're just now starting to see exponential growth pick up steam"

 

"Additionally, capacity for testing is key to understanding the epidemic. If people can get results quickly, if they know if they need to isolate, we can reduce transmission. The hope is we could keep people out of the hospital. Widespread screening would have direct impact on transmission. I believe the focus needs to be on testing and case-finding in the U.S. to slow transmission here."

 

 

https://nextstrain.org/ncov

If you hit "play" on the world map above, it shows the spread of the epidemic.

 

 

[BillsFan4]

This is the N.Y. State health website on coronavirus:

 

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home

 

It’s updated anytime there is new info or instructions. Here is the latest update:

 

Quote

LAST UPDATED: MARCH 20, 2020 8:30PM

What You Need to Know

• New York State on PAUSE: In New York we know that Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone
• Governor Cuomo will sign an Executive Order mandating that 100% of the workforce must stay home beginning Sunday, March 22 at 8PM, excluding essential services. 
• All non-essential gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason are temporarily banned.
• Enacting Matilda’s Law to protect New Yorkers age 70+ and those with compromised immune systems 
  • Remain indoors
  • Can go outside for solitary exercise
  • Pre-screen all visitors by taking their temperature
  • Wear a mask in the company of others
  • Stay at least 6 feet from others
  • Do not take public transportation unless urgent and absolutely necessary
• All barbershops, hair salons, tattoo or piercing salons, nail salons, hair removal services and related personal care services will be closed to the public effective Saturday, March 21 at 8:00PM.
• New York will implement a 90-day moratorium on evictions for residential and commercial tenants.
• Casinos, gyms, theaters, retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys are closed until further notice. Bars and restaurants are closed, but takeout can be ordered during the period of closure.
• Testing is free for all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider.
• Your local health department is your community contact for COVID-19 concerns.  

 

If you are in NYS this is a good website to bookmark.

 

“Your local health department is your community contact for

COVID-19 concerns”

 

here is the link to contact info for every NYS local health department:

 

https://www.nysacho.org/directory/

 

 

and here is an interactive map for Erie county:

 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

List of services in NYS defined as essential:

https://www.wivb.com/news/a-list-of-essential-services-defined-by-new-york-state/?fbclid=IwAR1bY_FOGOP8-RdK-i59HErWGydG0ZeEd1H0L56OFeNn1rSBQVXmkx6yejM

[Hapless Bills Fan]

This is not for the faint of heart.

 

It's an epidemic disease modeling calculator that allows you to model the impact of covid-19 on a population of different sizes.

http://gabgoh.github.io/COVID/index.html

 

Here's an example of a model done with it by Tomas Pueyo writing for medium.com (it's an update/follow on of an article linked above)

The Ro (basic transmission number), incubation time, and many other parameters are taken from the 55,000 case dataset  from Wuhan.  Click to embiggen.

I strongly recommend reading Pueyo's article  - it's a clear-eyed look at why the shutdowns are necessary, but far far far from enough.

If you're brave and want to play with github's calculator (this is based on the known behavior of epidemic disease) start with the parameters Pueyo uses and play from there.

 

If you read Pueyo's article, read it to the end where he explains the strategy we should follow:

 

In this model, the "Hammer", or a period of intense shutdowns and social distancing measures, lasts 3-7 weeks. 

"The dance" is the imposition of continued control measures such as testing of all patients with fever, mandatory quarantine of ill patients, and contact tracing.

 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...certainly hope that those experiencing difficulties make use of these services.................

Coronavirus pushes mental health counseling online

Psychological effects of quarantine include anger, anxiety, and in some cases, PTSD.

By Jeanette SettembreFOXBusiness

 

Getting therapy remotely is the new normal for many Americans coping with mental health issues while in quarantine.

 

Teletherapy, as it's called, is a form of virtual counseling with a licensed therapist via webcam, phone, email or text message. And while the service has been around for decades, it's now a primary alternative to in-person therapy for those in need while socially distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

"The coronavirus crisis has expanded access to telehealth and telemedicine," Hanna Horvath, a personal finance and healthcare expert at Policygenius, told FOX Business.

"While there might be different charges, mental health is considered one of those essential benefits so therapy, psychiatry and substance abuse treatments should all be covered in your insurance policy," she added. "That doesn't mean it's entirely free; all co-pays and deductibles play a role. If you have a provider, check in with them and make sure they're offering telehealth services."

 

The Trump administration announced this week it will expand telehealth services for Medicare, which will be able to pay hospitals and doctors for remote services on a temporary basis.

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/online-therapy-mental-health-coronavirus

 

 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Hapless Bills Fan

[BillsFan4]

If I find an English version of this video I will update this post. But this video is still a great demonstration why it’s important to use proper hand washing technique.

 

 

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Chloroquine, Is it the Answer?

 

Some publications have hailed chloroquine as a potential antiviral covid-19 treatment due to anti-covid19 activity in test tubes. It has shown test-tube activity against other viral diseases, then has failed to show clinical benefit in controlled double-blind studies in patients.

 

For that reason, Fauci was seen trying to rein in President Trump who "has a good feeling" chloroquine is the answer at a news conference. Here is the basis for Fauci's "reins" against false hope:

 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354220301145

 

Key points:

-In vitro data suggest that chloroquine inhibits SARS Cov-2 replication.

-In past research, chloroquine has shown in vitro activity against many different viruses, but no benefit in animal models.
-Chloroquine has been proposed several times for the treatment of acute viral diseases in humans without success. (they mean it was tried, and in proper randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled studies, it showed no effect)

-(Positive) outcomes of some current clinical trials of chloroquine in China have been announced, without access to the data.

-Peer review of the (Chinese clinical trial) results and an independent assessment of the potential benefit for patients are essential.

-Why not just use it? Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are generally considered safe with generally mild, transitory side-effects. However, the "therapeutic window" (the range between the effective and the toxic dose) is quite narrow.  Don't try this at home without medical supervision.

-Chloroquine poisoning has been associated with cardiovascular disorders that can be life-threatening (cure could be as bad as disease without care). 

-This is worth the risk if it proves to be an effective treatment - but not worth just taking it for shucks and grins if it isn't.

 

[BillsFan4]

OI debated posting this, and if Hapless or other mods think it should be removed, I fully understand. [Hap sez: I think everyone should watch it]

 

 

This is starting to happen at hospitals in the U.S.. We are not immune to this, and the less we do right now the harder we are going to be hit. I understand that it may be frustrating but Please take these social distancing measures serious.